


How the Jokes Started

by PurpleIris7795



Category: Rocky Series (Movies)
Genre: F/M, First Meetings, Friendship/Love, Movie: Rocky (1976), True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-12
Updated: 2020-06-12
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:13:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24685150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PurpleIris7795/pseuds/PurpleIris7795
Summary: Ever wondered about Rocky's first visit to the pet store and how he got started telling jokes to Adrian everyday?  Set about 8 months before the events of the first movie.
Relationships: Adrian Balboa/Rocky Balboa
Comments: 6
Kudos: 12





	How the Jokes Started

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first “Rocky” fanfic. After binge watching all the movies during quarantine I fell in love with them. I found myself wondering how Rocky got started telling jokes to Adrian at the pet store everyday and this was the result. I hope you like it! Please review if you have time! I love getting feedback and welcome any constructive criticism. Of course this goes without saying, but Rocky and all the characters in this story are the property of Sylvester Stallone and United Artists. I wrote this for fun and nothing more. Enjoy!

How the Jokes Started

“Please! It’s all I’ve got! Just please, don’t… ”

Rocky counted out the bills that were still damp from the trembling man’s hand. It wasn’t even half of what he owed and his heart sank. Sometimes if they were close he could buy some extra time with Gazzo. Once he’d even secretly made up the difference with money from his own pocket because he’d had a little extra and knew the guy had a sick kid at home. This time though he had no choice. 

In a flash he grabbed the man and spun him around. As fast as he could he yanked his arm upwards until he felt it give way with a sickening pop. He knew from experience that going slowly hurt far worse so he never dragged these things out. It was probably dislocated instead of broken like Gazzo wanted, but it was all he could stomach. The man gave a muffled scream.

“This ain’t personal ya know.” Rocky mumbled almost apologetically. “Just get the rest quick or next time it’ll be worse.” 

The man nodded, clutching his arm and Rocky walked away feeling like the biggest piece of shit in the world. 

Half an hour later Rocky was sitting in the backseat of Gazzo’s car reporting what had happened as he handed over the thin wad of bills. 

He said he’d have the rest by next week.” 

“I’m sure he will.” Gazzo peeled off some cash and pocketed the rest. “Great work, Rocko. There’s a little extra in there for you.” He held it out and Rocky took it. 

“Thanks.”

“Anytime. You got any action coming up?” 

“Yeah. I’m supposed to fight Crenshaw in two weeks.”

Gazzo nodded his approval as Rocky climbed out of the car. “Give ‘em hell, OK? I’ll be in touch.” 

Rocky fished the ball he always carried out of his pocket and bounced it off the pavement as he watched the huge black cadillac disappear around the corner. As he walked home he tried to forget the events of the afternoon. He’d been working for Gazzo for a few years now. At first it was just an easy way to make money until he got some better fights, but as the years went by and the fights never materialized, he’d gotten in deeper than he intended. 

Gazzo was a good boss and a nice guy as long as you repaid your debts on time. At first Rocky had tried to justify the collecting to himself. After all, nobody was forcing these people to borrow money. But the guilt he always felt after an interaction like the one today was really getting to him. Threatening people was one thing. Actually hurting them was something else entirely and it bothered him more every time he did it. Still, he wasn’t sure what else to do. He was broke. The fights he got now were paying less all the time and he had to get by somehow. 

As he passed the pet shop that was across the street from the gym, the dog in the front window saw him and barked. Rocky stopped and smiled as he wagged his stumpy tail and playfully jumped up and down. No matter how bad he felt, this puppy always cheered him up a little. What he wouldn’t give to have a dog like this! 

There were a million reasons why he couldn’t. The apartment was too small. He could barely afford to feed himself, let alone an expensive dog like this but lately he’d begun to wonder what it would be like if he could. What if he had an entirely different life? A life where he had a nice dog and a job that didn’t involve hurting anybody. At least, not hurting anybody outside the ring. And as long as he was at it, why not a nice place to live and a sweet, beautiful girlfriend to go with it? He smiled at the thought, then shook his head. He might as well wish for the moon. It was nice to dream. But that’s all it was. Dreaming.

Across the street at the gym a few of the guys were standing around talking so he jogged over to see what was going on. The conversation revolved around the fight that was supposed to be on television later that evening. After a while, the guys began to take off one by one until Rocky found himself alone again. It had gotten dark and the bright light that spilled out of the pet store window caught his attention. He watched the bulldog pace back and forth as he lit a cigarette, took a long drag, and wished he had somewhere else to go instead of back to his empty apartment. 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Yellow eyes glared through the bars of the cage as the enormous orange tabby loudly voiced his displeasure at the indignity of getting his dinner 5 minutes late. Gloria had agreed to board him for two weeks while his owners went on vacation and Adrian couldn’t wait until they got back. She loved most of the animals in the shop, but this one was an exception.

“I’m going as fast as I can, Fatso.” she told him as she twisted the can opener and dumped a smelly pile of tuna supreme into his bowl. “You’ll survive, I promise.” 

Fatso made a sound somewhere between a meow and a growl and shook his head.

Adrian sighed. This was the part she dreaded. As quickly as possible she opened the small door on the side of the cage and shoved the food inside but despite her best efforts he still managed to claw the top of her hand leaving a trail of angry red scratch marks. 

“Ouch!” she exclaimed and yanked her arm back so fast she accidentally hit the edge of the counter with her elbow. Shooting pain streaked down her arm all the way to her fingertips and made her eyes water. Stupid cat. Everyday she fed him and everyday he did his best to scratch her. 

It was the had been a long day. Gloria went home sick at lunchtime and left her to run the shop alone. Being the only one in the store always made her nervous. The possibility of being robbed was real given the state of the neighborhood and dealing with customers was always hard for her. 

As Adrian collected her things and prepared to go home, Buddy the half grown brown and white bulldog puppy in the window pawed at the back of his cage and whined to get her attention. She smiled. Of all the animals they had right now, this one was her favorite. One of his bottom teeth stuck out even when he closed his mouth and his wide flat face seemed to be stuck in a permanent scowl. He looked fierce, but in reality was nothing more than a giant creampuff. 

Whenever she had a spare minute she’d play with him or teach him a new trick. So far he could sit and shake hands. Adrian stopped for a moment and picked him up, cuddling him close and affectionately scratching behind his ears. He wriggled with excitement and panted happily as he licked her face with such enthusiasm that he knocked her glasses off. 

“Hey! Be careful!” She laughed as she put him back in the window. Buddy rolled over and looked up expectantly. She gave him a belly rub. When she stopped he woofed in protest, then sat up on his hind legs and cocked his head to the side causing one ear flop open. Adrian smiled at his shameless begging and reached under the counter for some treats. He knew he was irresistible.

“Here you go.”

She tossed a few milk bones towards the dog who caught one in midair and then proceeded to happily devour the rest.

“Good night, tough guy.” she gave him one last pat and kissed him on the top of the head. “Be a good boy. I’ll see you in the morning.”

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The fight wasn’t for a few hours yet. Rocky debated going to Andy’s early but then decided against it. As he stood there smoking, Paulie’s sister appeared in the pet shop window. Small and thin with dark brown hair and eyes hidden behind ancient cat eye glasses, Adrian wasn’t at all what he’d expected the first time they’d met. For some reason he had the nagging feeling that he’d seen her somewhere before but he couldn’t place it. It was probably just his memory playing tricks on him. 

Adrian wasn’t a knockout, but she wasn’t as ugly as Paulie said she was either. Honestly it was hard to tell what she really looked like because of the shapeless clothes and numerous sweaters she wore. She was also the quietest person he’d ever met. The few times he’d gone to their house she hardly said a word. It made him wonder what she was thinking about behind those crazy glasses. He asked Paulie about it later and he said she was just shy. 

It didn’t take long for Rocky to realize that Paulie’s description of his sister couldn’t be more inaccurate. She had a good job at the pet store and whenever he visited the house was always clean and comfortable. The kitchen was well stocked which he knew wasn’t Paulie’s doing. She also liked to read and according to her brother was too brainy for her own good. That didn’t make her a loser. Quite the opposite in fact. 

More than once Paulie told Rocky how lucky he was to live alone. He didn’t say anything, but had thought to himself that being alone was no picnic either. Sure he had no one to answer to, but it could be very lonely sometimes. If somebody had taken the time to clean up his apartment and make him something to eat every once in a while, he certainly wouldn’t complain about it. Honestly it would be nice have someone to come home to. 

Adrian picked up the dog and played with him for a few minutes. It was obvious he loved her and was thrilled with the attention. Something about the way she lovingly cradled the squirming puppy charmed Rocky. Never in all of the times he’d seen her had she appeared so unguarded and relaxed. When the dog began enthusiastically licking her face she laughed and broke into a radiant smile and for a moment she looked happy and carefree and stunningly beautiful. 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The filthy gray remnants of last week’s snow crunched underfoot as Adrian walked through the raw March evening. She pulled her coat a little tighter and hurried down the street wondering if Paulie was home. She hoped not. A few hours of peace and quiet would be nice. Fortunately the house was empty. 

Adrian made some sandwiches and flipped on the TV. Paulie probably wouldn’t be home for a while so she wrapped his in wax paper and then sat down to watch Happy Days. She loved the show but almost never got to enjoy it because Paulie hated it so much. He said it was bullshit. 

Despite it’s usual light-hearted shenanigans, the show was not holding her attention this evening. Maybe Paulie had a point she thought as she stared idly at the screen. Her family didn’t behave anything like the Cunninghams and she’d been too shy to make any real friends at school. Strangely enough the only one on the show who bore any resemblance to anyone she’d ever met in real life was the Fonz. Sometimes he sounded exactly like her brother’s friend Rocky.

Rocky had been a presence in her life for a long time. In fact, they had gone to the same high school for a while before he became friends with Paulie. 

Back then he had just been another person to avoid in the hallway. Then he transferred into her American History class and the teacher assigned him a seat right in front of her. He wore a black leather jacket every day and often would show up with a cut lip or a fresh black eye and bruised knuckles. Once she overheard some girls in the bathroom talking about him and learned that he had been arrested a few times. What had he done she wondered?

He was very intimidating and she was afraid of him. Then one day they had a pop quiz. As everyone cleared their desks and got ready he turned around.

“Yo, can i borrow some paper?” 

Adrian froze. She had never looked Rocky in the face before and was surprised by what she found there. He had the most beautiful brown eyes she’d ever seen and for a moment she was lost in their depths. There was a warmth and kindness there that was totally unexpected, like a ray of sunshine on a rainy day. Then she realized she was staring and panicked. She could feel her face turning beet red. Somehow she’d managed to tear a sheet of paper out of her notebook. 

“Here.” she choked out. 

If he noticed her embarrassment, he didn’t say anything. 

“Thanks.” He smiled in a lopsided way that made her heart skip a beat and something inside her melted. 

That was the only interaction they had that year. He never spoke to her again and she was far too insecure to say anything herself, but from then on she noticed everything about him from the light sprinkling of freckles on the back of his neck to the way he drew boxing gloves on the margins of his textbook. 

From what she could see, Rocky never did anything truly bad. Sure, he got into trouble for smoking in the bathroom, cutting up with his friends, and skipping class but he never did anything cruel or mean spirited. What finally got him expelled was a fight with the captain of the football team. The guy had pushed a skinny kid with braces into the broom closet and held the door shut. The louder the boy screamed, the harder he and his friends laughed and taunted him. Most of the other students in the hallway either joined in the laughing or nervously walked away, not wanting to be caught up in the ugly scene but not Rocky. For a moment, he watched what was happening and then went over and told the guy to let him out. 

“Make me.” he replied. 

So he did. In a matter of minutes the jock lay in a crumpled heap on the floor with a split lip and blood pouring from his nose. Then Rocky dragged him to his feet and forced him to open the door. The violence of it all shocked her, but deep down she was enchanted by the bravery and compassion of what he had done. 

After graduation Adrian went to work at the pet shop and would see him sometimes as he entered and exited the gym across the street. She learned that he was a fighter, but when Paulie enviously mentioned that he was also a collector for Gazzo it made her sad. Collectors hurt other people for money without remorse. How could anybody with a conscience do that for a living? Was that really the kind of person he was now? For a second his warm brown eyes appeared in her imagination like they had so many times before. She hoped not. Adrian turned off the television and leaned back against the sofa cushions trying hard not to wish she had someone to talk to. 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Rocky found Paulie at the end of the bar nursing a beer. 

“Hey, Rocko!” 

“Yo Paulie. I miss anything?”  
“It hasn’t started yet.” Paulie seemed a bit distracted. Rocky followed his gaze to the other end of the bar where a garishly dressed over-processed blond sat laughing with the bartender. He was obviously interested. 

“You gonna go say somethin’?”

“Maybe. Gotta get a few more of these first.” He shook the bottle in his hand. “There’s a lot of girls here tonight.”

Rocky hadn’t noticed. He quickly glanced around the room at the other women in the bar. Some of them he knew, some he’d never seen before, but none of them appealed to him anymore. Adrian had been on his mind constantly since he watched her lock up the store. It had occurred to him as he walked to the bar that she just might be the perfect woman. She was kind and smart and beautiful. She even liked animals! It blew him away that all this time she’d been right across the street from the gym and he’d never noticed. It was like finding a crisp twenty dollar bill in the pocket of an old pair of pants. Now that he had noticed, he realized he had to do something about it soon before somebody else did. A vague plan was starting to form in his mind. 

“Hey Paulie, I saw your sister today.” 

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. She’s really somethin’, you know that?” 

“Adrian?” 

“Yeah, Adrian.”

“She’s somethin’ alright.” He rolled his eyes. 

“Naw, Paulie, I mean it. She’s pretty, ya know?” He took a swig from the bottle the bartender had just put in front of him. “D’ya think maybe she’d wanna go out sometime? Wha’dya think?”

Paulie looked at him like he’d suddenly sprouted a third eyeball, then snorted with laughter, “I think that last guy you fought must have knocked ya brains loose.” Rocky remained silent and it slowly it began to dawn on him that his friend might actually be serious. “You on the level?”

“Yeah.” Rocky shrugged. “I think she’s nice.”

Paulie looked at him closely. “She’s shy, Rock. Really shy. I mean, she’s never been out with nobody and she’s almost 30. She ain’t gonna be like a normal girl, ya know? He gestured around the room at the other women present.

For a moment Rocky was speechless. Of course he knew she was shy, but the implications of what that meant hadn’t really occurred to him. What did it matter, though? In some ways, it made her even more appealing. “So what?” 

“So if you can even get her to talk to ya, you’ll be doin’ good.”

Rocky thought for a minute. If he was going to have any chance of success he needed something more to go on. “What kinda stuff does she like to talk about?”

Paulie looked annoyed. “Hell, I dunno.” Just then the bartender turned up the volume on the TV and Paulie lost interest in the conversation. “The fight’s comin’ on.” 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

A few hours later an impressive steam of cursing woke her up. She found Paulie in the kitchen digging through the refrigerator. 

“What’s wrong?” she asked. 

“What’s wrong?!?” He swayed slightly on his feet as he pulled the meatloaf sandwich she’d made for him out and held it up. “That’s what’s wrong.” He carelessly threw it back on the shelf and slammed the door.

“What’s the matter with it?”

“You’ve been home all night and you couldn’t fix something decent?” 

As he pushed past her into the living room the sour smell of alcohol was overpowering. Adrian’s eyebrows knit together. 

“Are you alright?” she asked. “Did something happen at work?” Paulie frequently drank too much, but this was excessive even for him. 

“Nothing ever happens at work except freezin’ my balls off in that stupid meat locker.” he flopped down on the sofa. “And nothin’ ever happens after work ‘cause I gotta come back here.” He gestured at the room around them with a look of disgust as he pulled a bottle of whisky out of his pocket and took a swig. 

“You can stay out all you want Paulie.” Adrian said. “I’m not stopping you.”

“Oh, you’re not?” He turned his bleary gaze on her. He was getting louder by the minute. “You’re here aren’t ya? I can’t bring nobody over here. I can’t bring no girls over ‘cause my dried up old maid sister is ALWAYS HOME!” 

Adrian looked at the floor and visibly curled in on herself as he continued. 

“Why do ya gotta be such a friggin’ loser, huh?” He turned back to his bottle and ignored her. 

With a heavy heart Adrian went to her room and shut the door. Paulie was her brother and she loved him, but he was a very hard person to live with and the things he said when he was drunk were getting harder and harder to bear. When she came out an hour later to check on him, he had passed out. With a sigh, she pushed him over on his side and lifted his feet onto the couch. She put a trashcan within easy reach and stuck a pillow under his head, then put a blanket over him and flipped off the lights.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

When Rocky finally got home it was late. The fight had ended quickly. Apollo Creed mopped up the ring with his opponent in three rounds but he’d stuck around talking to Paulie for quite a while afterwards. He threw his coat over the chair and kicked off his shoes before laying down on the bed. As he stared at the ceiling he hoped his friend had made it home in one piece. After trying to start a conversation with the girl at the bar and failing miserably, Paulie had really tied one on. 

He hadn’t been able to get much out of Paulie after the fight, but he had learned one interesting thing. He’d asked why Adrian was so shy. 

“How should I know?” Paulie shrugged. 

“Come on, man she’s your sister! You gotta know somethin’.”

Paulie took a long drink and thought for a minute. “I dunno. She had a hard time at school. Got bullied a lot. Then my old man left and Mom really did a number on her. Told her over and over that men were all a bunch of no-good liars and scum bags who just want to get in your pants. Scared her half to death with that crap.” Rocky had nodded. Things were beginning to make more sense. 

After that, Paulie decided to go talk to the blond at the end of the bar. He’d sauntered over and offered to buy her a drink but she’d taken one whiff of his noxious breath and told him to get lost. She didn’t go out with stinkers. Rocky felt kind of sorry for Paulie. He wasn’t the easiest person to like sometimes, but he wasn’t all bad either. 

On the way home inspiration struck. Rocky decided to buy a pet. It seemed like a pretty solid plan. If he had a pet then he’d have an automatic excuse to visit the pet store and see Adrian more often. Besides, if it didn’t work out at least he’d have something to come home to at the end of the day. He wasn’t sure exactly what he could get with the $10 that was left after rent, but he’d figure something out. For the first time in a long while, Rocky felt hopeful as he drifted off to sleep. 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The sound of a garbage truck passing by woke Adrian up with a start. A glance at the clock revealed that it was after 8:00! She must have forgotten to set the alarm the night before and overslept. Frantically she leaped out of bed, pulled on clothes, and ran a brush through her hair. In the kitchen she grabbed a banana and, as an afterthought, took the meatloaf sandwich she’d made Paulie the night before. Maybe he didn’t want it, but she was sure Buddy would. She smiled at the thought as she hurried down the street. 

As she rounded the final corner and jogged the last few feet to the door Gloria met her on the steps. 

“Where have you been?” she demanded, stuffing her arms into her coat. “You were supposed to be here half an hour ago.” Without waiting for a reply she hastily continued. “I’ve got to go to the post office. Are you ok here for a while?”

“Fine.” Adrian replied. Just then she noticed that the cage in the front window was empty. Maybe Buddy was in the outdoor kennel getting some exercise. 

“Clean up the mess in the window, would you?” Gloria waved over her shoulder towards the pen as she started walking away. “I sold the bulldog this morning.” 

Adrian entered the shop and sat down on the high stool behind the counter, then slowly pulled the sandwich out of her pocket and threw it in the trash. She was crestfallen. Of course she knew Buddy wouldn’t be there forever, but lately he’d become the only bright spot in her life and now he was gone.

Adrian’s face crumpled. For a moment, her breath caught on the painful lump that had formed in her throat, then she leaned forward onto the counter and pressed the palm of her hand into her forehead as she tried to get her emotions back under control. 

A few minutes later she sat up and wiped the corners of her eyes. Gloria would be back soon and she couldn’t find her like this. Taking a deep breath she turned her attention to the task at hand. The cage wasn’t going to clean itself.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Rocky stood on the corner outside the gym nervously bouncing his ball on the sidewalk. He’d been watching the pet store for a while now hoping for a glimpse of Adrian but so far had only seen the other woman who worked there. She had just sold the puppy from the window to a nice looking couple who led him away on a leash. Maybe Adrian wasn’t coming to work today. 

The longer he stood there, the more he began to second guess himself. Maybe this was a bad idea. Women didn’t usually intimidate him, but Adrian was different. She was really smart. He could barely read. She had a good job. He was a fighter whose career was coasting on fumes. He suddenly wondered what she thought of boxing. Most women hated the sport. Self-consciously Rocky touched the edge of his upper lip where a cut was still healing from last week. 

He had almost made up his mind to go into the gym for a workout when Adrian came rushing around the corner. She stopped and the other girl scolded her for a minute. Then she went inside. As he watched, she threw something away and stared blankly at the empty window display. After a moment, she put her head in her hand and leaned forward on the counter. Was she crying? What was she so upset about, he wondered? A moment later she sat up, dashed away a few stray tears, and squared her thin shoulders before getting on with her work. Whatever it was, she seemed determined to not let it keep her down. For a second he tried to imagine what her life must be like. She had to be lonely. Living with a guy like Paulie couldn’t be easy. Then it dawned on him what was wrong. She missed the dog! Rocky’s heart went out to her completely. 

Loneliness was something he understood far too well. So many times he had come home from a fight or a bad job collecting and sat in his empty apartment wishing he had someone to talk too. How many nights had he spent lately smoking cigarettes and listening to records alone? There were too many to count. Rocky stuffed the ball into his pocket and hurried across the street determined to make her smile if it was the last thing he did. 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Adrian was in the back when she heard the bell above the front door ring. Gloria must be back she thought as she grabbed a broom and made her way back to the front of the store. 

To her shock and surprise, Rocky Balboa stood next to the counter instead. He was the last person she’d expected to see and her heart leapt to her throat. He didn’t say anything at first, just looked at her with those velvety brown eyes and smiled. Her heart skipped a beat and then began racing wildly. Immediately her eyes hit the floor.

“Yo! There you are. I’m Paulie’s friend Rocky. You remember me? 

“Paulie’s not here.” She choked out awkwardly, then immediately felt foolish. Of course he wasn’t. Why would he be? Oh, God. He probably thought she was an idiot. 

“Well, that’s ok, ‘cause I came in here to see you.”

“Me?” she squeaked. 

“Yeah. I’ve been thinkin’ for a while that I wanna get a pet and then I remembered that you worked in here so I decided to come and look around.” 

Adrian stared at him, mute with surprise. He wanted a pet? Rocky? 

“I thought maybe somethin’ not too big. My place is kinda small, ya know?” 

Adrian nodded. Her head was spinning. She’d never imagined he liked animals. They looked around at the options. Hamsters? Too much like a mice. Parakeets? Too noisy. Lizards? Not friendly enough. None of them seemed quite right. He chattered on and on about the different animals and asked all sorts of questions about what they ate and what sort of care they required. Then Rocky pointed to an aquarium with two tiny red-eared slider turtles inside. 

“Yo, Adrian! Look at these! Whad’ya think?”

“Turtles are nice. They are easy to take care of.” 

Rocky nodded as he watched them then tapped lightly on the glass “Hey turtle, you wanna come home with me?” The turtle looked right at him and tilted his tiny head as if pondering the question. He laughed. “Did you see that? I gotta take him home now!” “Which one do you want?” She asked.

“That one, there.” he pointed at the one sitting on a large rock. Then he hesitated. “Maybe I should get the other one too. He’s gonna get kinda lonely in there all by himself.” 

As she opened the top of the aquarium and reached in to get the turtles he watched her closely. “It’s not good to be lonely, ya know. Everybody needs friends. Even turtles.” 

It was such an unexpectedly kind thing to say that she began to smile before her shyness got the better of her and she looked back at the floor. 

Adrian rang up the turtles and all the other supplies he needed. 

“That’ll be $9.57” 

Rocky pulled a crumpled $10 bill out of his pocket and handed it to her. As she counted out the change, he picked up the banana that she had left sitting on the counter when she arrived and studied it. He seemed to be lost in thought for a moment.

“ .43 cents is your change.” Adrian dropped the coins into the palm of his outstretched hand which was warm and dry and hard with callouses. For a split second, she imagined what it would feel like to lace her fingers through his and blushed a deep red. Mercifully he didn’t seem to notice. 

“Thanks.” Rocky picked up the turtles and peeked through the air holes in the side of the small box. “You guys ready to get out of here?” He turned and started out the door, then hesitated and turned back. 

“Yo Adrian,” 

“Yes?”

He pointed to the banana he had just put down a second ago. “Why did the banana go out with the orange?” 

“Why?” she couldn’t imagine what he was talking about.

“‘Cause he couldn’t find a date.” 

The childish silliness of the joke caught her totally off guard and she smiled in spite of herself and giggled softly.

His face broke out into wide grin. “Ha! I did it!” He laughed and pushed open the door with his knee. He said something else, but was partially drowned out by the sound of the traffic going by.

Did what, she wondered as she watched him walk down the street carrying a tiny box of turtles in one hand and bowl in the other. As he disappeared around the corner her eyes widened as she belatedly realized what it was he’d said as he walked out the door. 

“See ya tomorrow Adrian.”


End file.
